


A Momentary Flash of Light

by Nynaeve



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Apocalypse, Comfort, F/M, Friendship, Friendship/Love, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-05-21
Updated: 2011-05-21
Packaged: 2017-10-19 16:30:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 518
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/202895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nynaeve/pseuds/Nynaeve
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the end, all Kathryn could do was wait and watch.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Momentary Flash of Light

**Author's Note:**

> _A/N: With all the talk of the end of the world (or rather, lack thereof), I idly wondered what Janeway would do if faced with the hour of an entire world's demise. A short little one-shot with the inspiration from my FanFic100 prompt: Ends._

In the end, there was nothing else they could do but wait and watch. Some of _Voyager'_ s crew had congregated in the messhall while others had taken to standing at the windows of their quarters. A few didn't think it was right to watch a world die. Not when there were still so many people there. They'd done all they could in having noticed the large comet headed directly towards the planet. If _Voyager_ hadn't detected it and if Harry hadn't traced its trajectory in a fit of insomnia induced boredom, the planet wouldn't have detected it in time to even save one person. They had warp capabilities, but the composite of the comet was such that their scanners weren't sophisticated enough to show more than a bauble.

Kathryn sat at her desk in her ready room. They were far enough away that they'd only see a flash. A glimmer before a civilization went dark. It seemed pointless to join the crew in the messhall to stare at a point in space waiting for something to happen. Knowing something would happen.

In her grossest violation of the Prime Directive, one she was certain would have her at the very least court-martialed, she had provided them with transporter technology. The Utari built ships quickly, but it was a precious drain on resources and time to have to load and launch the ships. The transporter technology let them move people quickly and let them build the ships in the space.

It had taken three months. Three valuable months of _Voyager'_ s trip. Kathryn closed her eyes. She heard her ready room door open and she didn't even bother looking.

"I figured I'd find you here," Chakotay commented as he sat across from her. "Are you all right?"

She slowly opened her blue eyes and met his gaze with a heavy expression. "As well as can be expected when you know billions of people are about to be wiped from existence."

"Computer, reduce lights by eighty percent," he called out and immediately the illumination in the room dropped. Even so, he could make out Kathryn's raised eyebrow and he nodded towards the window. "It'll be harder to see with the lights up."

"I'm not sure it's the right thing to do," she confessed and Chakotay caught a mournful reflection in her eyes. "For all those we saved, it wasn't enough."

"It never will be. Come on, watch with me," he urged. He stood and started towards the window, stopping only to see if Kathryn was following. She seemed to weigh her options and with resignation, lifted herself from her chair. Her gait was filled with trepidation and colored with the barest stroke of fear.

They stood side by side, as they always did, and looked out into the expanse. They both knew where to draw their eyes. The computer alarm chirp startled both of them. Thirty seconds.

"What else could I have done?" she whispered.

Chakotay reached out with his hand and intertwined his fingers with hers.

A bright light exploded in the distance.

Then all was quiet yet again.


End file.
